2 Samuel 14

2 Samuel 14:1

DAVID PERMITS ABSALOM TO RETURNJoab grew up in the vicinity of Tekoah and may have known this woman from earlier days.

2 Samuel 14:4

Joab got her to play upon the feelings of David by telling him her sad story. Just as David had used deception, he was now being deceived.

2 Samuel 14:11

David grants her imaginary son a full pardon. Then she makes the application to David and Absalom.

2 Samuel 14:13

The widow of Tekoah was putting David in the place of her imaginary prosecutors. What her prosecutors could do to her remaining son, David was doing to God’s people by punishing Absalom for the crime he had committed. She is representing the people of Israel as the widowed mother. She claims to be speaking in the name of all Israel, and possibly she does express their feelings. Absalom was very popular with the people, and they probably felt that Amnon got what he deserved. The final outcome of the incident is that in a half-hearted way David is willing for Absalom to return.

2 Samuel 14:21

It is unfortunate that David did not want to see his son. It actually set the stage for Absalom’s rebellion which takes place in chapter 15. Absalom was a bad boy, but he was a good politician. We shall see this in the next chapter. Absalom’s high-handed action of setting Joab’s standing grain on fire to force Joab to come to him is another revelation of Absalom’s personality.

2 Samuel 14:32

Absalom’s prank succeeded in persuading Joab to bring him to his father for reconciliation. Although David’s kiss was a sign of complete reconciliation and restoration of Absalom’s position as the king’s son, it was given reluctantly. The fact that his father did not give him instant, wholehearted forgiveness rankled in his soul. God had not forgiven David half-heartedly. God did not say, “Well, I forgive you, but we will not have fellowship any more. I will not restore to you the joy of your salvation.” When God forgives, He forgives completely. You and I are admonished: “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Eph_4:32). Has God forgiven us? Yes! How are we to forgive others? The same way that God does. David should have forgiven Absalom. He is setting the stage for rebellion. Oh, my friend, our God is a God who forgives. Gal_6:1 tells us, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.” It appears that many of us don’t read that verse correctly. We think it says, “If any man be overtaken in a fault, take a baseball bat and hit him over the head!” We are reluctant to forgive, and we can be very mean at times, very unloving, and critical. There are times when the truth should be spoken, but when forgiveness is asked for, it should be extended immediately. David made a blunder in not forgiving his son as God had forgiven David. He will live to regret it.